The official new members and lurkers thread

[LolaB]

I've been lurking for a couple of years too, maybe longer. Really appreciate the wide variety of topics and viewpoints. And I do get a lot from Jeff's and HMW's perspective - keep up the good work.

Cheers to all
& happy holidays

Lola B.[/url]

[jingofever]

This is my second post ever here though I have viewed this community and it's changes for over 5 years now, which relative to my age of 20, is quite a long time I think.

I don't think this board has been around for five years, has it? Even the blog only seems to start in 2004. What year is it? The problem may be on my end.

[bringcosby]

Hi everyone, I've been lurking around here for little over a year now. It's so refreshing to see open and intelligent discussions about subjects that normally wouldn't fly in other places...let alone remain civil.

I'm eternally grateful for the wealth of information I've gathered from this place!

[chlamor]

Let your thoughts be known.

Formulate ideas, teach from what you know, learn from what you don't.

And then....

Take it to the streets.

[the wrong tree]

I've been reading the blog for a long time. I've lurked on the board for a couple of years, but have only posted a couple of times. You folks offer a lot of interesting ideas and insight, so I mostly just absorb what I can.

Here's my story:

I grew up a military brat and for a couple of years in the late '80s my dad had a job that involved him leaving every couple of months from our home at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado to visit an undisclosed location near Winchester, Virginia. My dad never talked about what he did while he was gone. In fact, it was only in the past year or so that he confessed to me that when he called home "from Winchester" during those trips, he was only actually calling "from Winchester" some of the time. He also said that during those years he was exposed to some mighty incredible things, images he'll never forget.

That's about as much as I've ever been able to squeeze out of him.

And for what it's worth, during the same period, we would get signed Christmas cards from the White House.

So I guess it's those secrets my dad carries around that have fueled my curiosity about what might be hidden beyond locked doors -- if that makes any sense. And I find that a lot of the discussion here taps into that same little corner of my brain.

Nice to meet everyone.

[FourthBase]

I know it's your dad, but for the sake of humanity (and this sounds awful and sooooo anti-thetical to the spirit here so forgive me) have you considered giving him a gentle but forced interrogation under truth serum or something to that effect?

[the wrong tree]

I know it's your dad, but for the sake of humanity (and this sounds awful and sooooo anti-thetical to the spirit here so forgive me) have you considered giving him a gentle but forced interrogation under truth serum or something to that effect?

I wish.

[Beelzebob]

I know it's your dad, but for the sake of humanity (and this sounds awful and sooooo anti-thetical to the spirit here so forgive me) have you considered giving him a gentle but forced interrogation under truth serum or something to that effect?

That is horrible asking someone to do that to their dad

[the wrong tree]

I know it's your dad, but for the sake of humanity (and this sounds awful and sooooo anti-thetical to the spirit here so forgive me) have you considered giving him a gentle but forced interrogation under truth serum or something to that effect?

That is horrible asking someone to do that to their dad

I took it as a joke. And responded in kind.

[barracuda]

Meek ones like myself seek light but take consolation from mere flashes through the darkness, for fear revelation may bring water to the mouths of beasts.

[§ê¢rꆧ]

I ♥ RI, particularly the blog posts, but the forum is a great hotbed of ideas.

Some of the thoughts & ideas discussed here are difficult to discuss with most of the people in my life. While I do engage many with parapoltical discourse, I try very hard not to come off too strong or cranky, because then people just shut you out. I know this sounds sort of lame but this forum sort of eases that loneliness. I hope to contribute more in the future when I have lurked enough

[MASONIC PLOT]

I am looking specifically for someone who has all the answers. If this applies to you please contact me.

[Fearless]

I've been here from the beginning. I got to know Jeff from our DU days. I was banned from DU for posting links to websites deemed "tin foil" by DU.

I mostly lurk because the posters here are way more informed and educated than I am.

My original name was Rebel Yell (Billy Idol fan), but my account "froze" and I had to change names.

I have a few data dumps, but mostly lurk here.

[vondardanelle]

i've been reading since late 2005. i can't remember how i got here, but it was definitely political stuff. what's kept me around has been everything else though. absoultely fascinating stuff.

i used to post on the old board once in a while but the regular posters were/are far far far more knowledgeable about this stuff than I am, so I usually keep quiet and just try to read about stuff. i only just registered for the new board now.

oh yeah, i also definitely try to make a donation or buy something from the cafepress store every few months, i hope fellow lurkers are doin the same. keep it up, jeff!

[elephant]

I rarely post, but value this site immensely.

I find Jeff's entries interesting at worst, and brilliant and provocative at best.

And the discussion board remains a lively and worthwhile place, though the signal to noise ratio seems to have fallen. I've got little patience with dogma and righteousness (and Christ, it comes up a lot around here), and a kind of gassy paranoia that can't even allow the slightest possibility of self-delusion or mistaken judgment. Hence, differences of opinions always become the product of enemy agents.

That's a tedious game. But I suspect these people mean well and it's no mystery why the study of these subjects inflicts a toll. In any case, I can simply speed by what I don't find valuable.

For there's also a handful, perhaps more, of extremely intelligent, incisive and witty commentators (and, man, we need the wit to stay sane). They occasional produce some wisdom too and I find all that an affirmative, sustaining force.

The one subject that I've most changed my thinking about since coming to Jeff's blog? Ritualistic child abuse. I had been what I consider an informed skeptic on the subject -- and perhaps I still am -- but his investigations and references have really opened my eyes. It's an extremely disturbing realm and I feel like I'm still processing its implications. For this alone, I am in his debt.